Panel cabinet



F. B. ADAM PANEL CABINET June 6, 1933.

Filed April 28, 1930 INVENTOR @PEDER/CK B ADAM ATTORNEYS Patented June6, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK B. ADAIVI. OF ST. LOUIS,MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK ADAM ELE CTRIC (30., OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI,A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI PANEL CABINET Application filed April 28,

This invention relates to panel cabinets, guard member is secured to thefront as a and more particularly toan improved cabinet which embodies aconstruction designed to overcome certain difliculties encountered inthe installation of flush-type dead-front panel equipment as willhereinafter be explained.

In the installation of electrical outlets, fuse boxes, and panelboards,it is the usual practice to install the boxes at the same t1me that theconduit and wiring is installed, that is, before the plastering of thewall has been accomplished. After the walls have been finished, it issometimes found that the box is positioned at a depth in the wall sothat the front edges do not lie flush with the wall surface. Thisresults in a space being left between the panelboard and the cabinetfront which, if the space is great enough, may permit personal exposureto the wiring, and 1n any event mars the appearance of the 1nstallation.

In certain panelboards of heretofore known type, an attempt has beenmade to remedy this condition by a construction which permits adjustmentbetween the panelboard and wall box, but in which the adjustment must beaccomplished before the front or trim has been mounted. Thus, thepanelboard is adjusted and secured in the wall box at a distanceestimated to be suitable for engagement with the front or trim when thatmember is afterwards mounted. If the panel has been incorrectlypositioned, the front must again be removed and the panel readjusted,until, by trial and error, an approximate mating of the parts iseffected.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a panelboard inwhich the panel member may be positively adjusted in the first instance,by a single, simple operation, to suit conditions of the particularinstallation after the front has been mounted.

Another object is to provide, in connection with a panelboard, a frontor trim which has a depressed portion or return, adapted to serve as aguard member, and which engages a portion of' the pariel member.

A further object of this invention is to' provide a construction inwhich the recited unit, thereby enabling the ready removal andreplacement of the front and guard member for access to the wiring andconnections.

These and other objects will appear from the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of afuse block adapted for use in a wall box which is shown in perspectivein Fig. 2; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a unitary structure includinga front, a return and a framing-plate for the fuse panel, and Fig. 4 isa vertical section showing the parts in assembled relation.

Referring now by reference numerals to the drawing, the fuse blockillustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 comprises, preferably, a base 5 ofinsulating material having a raised por tion 6 in which fuse sockets 7are disposed and arranged in any suitable formation. The portion 6 bypreference is rabbeted to provide a small marginal shoulder 8 whichoutlines the normally visible portion of the fuse block. Each fusesocket is provided with the customary screw shell which engages a branchterminal member or contact post 9. In the present embodiment, themembers 9' extend laterally from their respective sockets, and areseated in depressions 10 in the base. The bottom of the base is recessedto accommodate busses in the form of straps 11, each of which forms acommon conductor for a group of fuses, the central terminal of the fusereceptacles in each group being connected to one of the straps. Eachstrap terminates at one end of the block in a connector lug 12 seated ina depression 13 in the fuse block. At the opposite end and alsodepressed in the block is a terminal bar 14 having a plurality ofbinding posts 16 and a terminal lug 17. As is understood by thosefamiliar with the art, the terminal bar 14 adapts the device to variouscircuit arrangements for both two and three wire systems. While theabove description deals with a fuse block, the scope of the invention isin no way restricted to that particular form of panel. The constructionherein set forth readily lends itself to panelboards of any practicalsize.

. wall material and each is provided with a 'threaded aperture forengagement with a cover holding screw 18. The box is provided withapertures for the passage of screws or similar fastening means to securethe box in a wall.

To support the panel, I provide, by preference, a plurality of studs 20,fixedly secured to the box bottom as by riveting, having their free endsslightly tapered for a purpose hereinafter appearing. The panel block isprovided with apertures 21, relatively disposed to correspond with therelative positions of the studs with which they are in register andadapted to accommodate. The number of studs and apertures provided isnot of particular importance, since any one of the studs is sufficientto support the weight of the panel.

The cabinet front, illustrated in perspective in Fig. 3, comprisesessentially, a flat rectangular front or plate having, in the presentembodiment, a centrally located door opening. A door 22, hingedlymounted on the front is provided with a knob or handle (not shown) and alatch or staying device 23. Openings 24 are so disposed in the frontthat when the latter is placed over the box they will be in registerwith the threaded apertures in the lugs 15. The cover holding screws 18,already mentioned, are by preference of sufficient length to permit, ifneces sary, the cover plate to be mounted at a substantial distance awayfrom the edges of the box. This condition arises when the box is set atsuch a depth that the fastening lugs 15 are remote from the surface ofthe wall.

For the purpose of providing a completely closed and entirely shieldedstructure, and one in which only the face portion of the panelboard isvisible when the cabinet door is in open position, I provide a return 19with which is combined a framing-plate 25. In the present example themembers 19 and 25 are formed of sheet material and together resemble ashallow pan. Obviously, the return and plate structure may be anintegral part of the cabinet front, but I prefer to form it separately,and provide flange portions 26 by which I weld, or otherwise suit- .ablyattach, the return to the front. The

inner portion of the plate member 25 is provided with an opening whichconforms with the raised portion of the fuse block, and the margins ofwhich 0 pose the shoulder 8. The fuse block and aming plate are fastenedtogether by means of screws 27 which .pass through apertures 28, in theframing wiring brought thereto, the panelboard is inserted so that theapertures 21 receive the studs 20, after which wiring connections aremade. The unitary assembly, comprising the front, return and framingplate, may then be applied, with the front against the finished wallsurface. The screws 18 are threaded into the seats therefor, in lugs 15,and taken up as far as conditions permit. The panelboard or fuse blockmay then, if necessary, be moved distantly along the studs to permitinserting and taking up of screws 27, in seats 29, to complete theasscmbly.

It will be understood that the foregoing description relates withparticularity to the example illustrated, but is to be understood merelyas descriptive, and not in a limiting sense. Obvious changes may be madein the parts, their relation and combinations within the scope of theinvention as defined more particularly by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A box, a cover, a panel member supported by the box and detachablyassociated with the cover, and means for adjustably positioning thepanel member responsively to movement of said cover.

2. A box, a cover removably associated with the box, a panel membersupported by and within the box, and means relating the cover and panelmember, for movement of the anel member responsively to movement of t ecover.

3. A box, a cover therefor, a panel and means carried by the box andassociated with the panel for permitting adjusting movement of the panelrelative to the box apertured cover, and means for supporting the panelmember within the box and permittlng panel-adjusting movement, bymanipulation of the panel, through the cover aperture.

6. A box, a panel member, a front, means carried by the front andcooperating with the panel member to form a closure for the box, meansfor securing the front to the panel member as an assembled unit, andmeans for permitting movement of the panel member, distantly, relativeto the box, irrespective'of its securement to the front.

7. A box, a panel member, a box front, mean for securing the front tothe panel in constant distance relation, and means for dis tantlyadjusting the assembled front and panel from the front of the box.

8. A box, a panel member, means carried by the box for supporting thepanel member in adjustable relation to the box, a front detachablysecured to the box and means for securing the panel member to the front,said means adapted upon such securement, t0 fix the position of thepanel member With respect to the box.

9. A box, a panel member, a combined support and guide for the panelmember carried by the box, means formed by the panel member constitutinga seat for. slidably receiving the guide, and means engaging the faceportion of the panel member for fixing its position on said support.

10. Enclosed electrical apparatus including a box, a panel member, apanel support projecting from the rear Wall of the box, means on thepanel member forming a seat for said support and relating the panelmember for distance movement along the support, a box front, and meansincluding the front for distantly positioning the panel member withinthe box.

' FREDERICK B. ADAM.

